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Psalm 112

1  Alleluia.
      Blessed are those who fear the Lord ♦︎
   and have great delight in his commandments.
2  Their descendants will be mighty in the land, ♦︎
   a generation of the faithful that will be blest.
3  Wealth and riches will be in their house, ♦︎
   and their righteousness endures for ever.
4  Light shines in the darkness for the upright; ♦︎
   gracious and full of compassion are the righteous.
5  It goes well with those who are generous in lending ♦︎
   and order their affairs with justice,
6  For they will never be shaken; ♦︎
   the righteous will be held in everlasting remembrance.
7  They will not be afraid of any evil tidings; ♦︎
   their heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord.
8  Their heart is sustained and will not fear, ♦︎
   until they see the downfall of their foes.
9  They have given freely to the poor;
      their righteousness stands fast for ever; ♦︎
   their head will be exalted with honour.
10  The wicked shall see it and be angry;
      they shall gnash their teeth in despair; ♦︎
   the desire of the wicked shall perish.

A Call to Repentance

6 The Lord said to me in the days of King Josiah: Have you seen what she did, that faithless one, Israel, how she went up on every high hill and under every green tree, and played the whore there? ⁷And I thought, ‘After she has done all this she will return to me’; but she did not return, and her false sister Judah saw it. ⁸She^* saw that for all the adulteries of that faithless one, Israel, I had sent her away with a decree of divorce; yet her false sister Judah did not fear, but she too went and played the whore. ⁹Because she took her whoredom so lightly, she polluted the land, committing adultery with stone and tree. ¹⁰Yet for all this her false sister Judah did not return to me with her whole heart, but only in pretence, says the Lord.

11 Then the Lord said to me: Faithless Israel has shown herself less guilty than false Judah. ¹²Go, and proclaim these words towards the north, and say:
Return, faithless Israel,

says the Lord.
I will not look on you in anger,
   for I am merciful,

says the Lord;
I will not be angry for ever.
¹³ Only acknowledge your guilt,
   that you have rebelled against the Lord your God,
and scattered your favours among strangers under every green tree,
   and have not obeyed my voice,

says the Lord.
¹⁴ Return, O faithless children,

says the Lord,
   for I am your master;
I will take you, one from a city and two from a family,
   and I will bring you to Zion.

Concerning Adultery

27 ‘You have heard that it was said, “You shall not commit adultery.” ²⁸But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. ²⁹If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.^{* 30}And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to go into hell.^*

Concerning Divorce

31 ‘It was also said, “Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.” ³²But I say to you that anyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of unchastity, causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

Concerning Oaths

33 ‘Again, you have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, “You shall not swear falsely, but carry out the vows you have made to the Lord.” ³⁴But I say to you, Do not swear at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, ³⁵or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. ³⁶And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black.